1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stopper device for a sliding swing type portable communication device, in which a stopper comprise of small components to restrict a swing operation after sliding operation as well as the sliding operation after the swing operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a “portable communication device” refers to an electronic device that a user can carry around to perform wireless communication with a desired party. In consideration of portability, the design of such a portable communication device must be compact, slim, hand-held, and light, but also capable of increasing the use of multimedia having various functions. In future, portable communication devices will be used for many other functions and purposes for various multimedia or Internet environments.
The portable communication devices are typically classified into a bar-type, a flip-type, or a folder-type. Further, the portable communication devices are also classified into a neck wearable-type or a wrist wearable-type according to wearing position or method. In addition, the portable communication devices are also classified into a swing-type or a sliding-type according to opening/closing method.
Such conventional portable communication devices are designed to allow for a voice communication function as well as a high-speed data communication function. A camera function is incorporated in the portable communication device, so that it is possible to transmit an image signal. Such a device is provided with a camera lens module of an internal or external type, so that is possible to perform image communication visually or to photograph a desired subject.
Currently, it is inconvenient to watch a video or a television (TV) through the portable communication device. This is because, in the case of a TV watching mode or a video watching mode, a wider display screen is required for a display device through which information is displayed.
Recent portable communication devices allow the display device to be moved and then swung. For example, the sliding swing device of the conventional portable communication device is disclosed in detail in Korean Patent No. 0681068, which has been filed and granted by the present applicant. It discloses a body housing, a sliding housing sliding facing the body housing and then rotated, first and second hinge frames, first and second plates, a slide bar, and coupling means. However, it has a drawback in that the sliding housing is rotated regardless of the intention of a user in the state where the sliding housing slides. Another drawback in that the sliding housing slides irrespective of the intention of a user in the state where the sliding housing is slid and swung.
To overcome these drawbacks, a separate locking device composed of a plurality of parts must be installed in the portable communication device. Thus, due to an increase in the number of parts, the number of processes of assembling the portable communication device is increased which in turn increases the production cost.
Accordingly, there is a need for a portable communication device with a small number of parts capable of restricting swing operation during sliding as well as sliding operation during swinging modes.